What is a safe driving practice when approaching a stop sign?

When approaching a stop sign, the safest driving practice is to come to a complete stop and check for pedestrians. This practice ensures that drivers adhere to traffic laws designed to promote safety at intersections. Coming to a complete stop allows the driver to fully observe their surroundings and assess any potential hazards, including pedestrians who may be crossing in front of the vehicle or vehicles approaching from other directions.

Stopping at a designated stop sign is crucial because it helps in maintaining the flow of traffic while preventing accidents. It also reinforces the responsibility of the driver to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who may have the right to cross at that intersection, thereby promoting safer roads for everyone.

In contrast, rolling through a stop sign without stopping may lead to missing critical visual cues regarding pedestrians or other vehicles, increasing the risk of accidents. Accelerating to clear the intersection compromises safety by not allowing adequate time to assess the situation, and yielding only to vehicles coming from the right ignores the fundamental requirement to be vigilant for all traffic and pedestrians regardless of direction.